St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-12-12
COLLECTING DEBTS.
An Experienced Collector Who
Finds 1t Pays to Be Deaf.

New Ork Sun.
mo, we have not adopted the Chi
cagO method of collecting bills in New
York." said an experienced bill col
lector, land don't know that the po-
lice would tolerate it if we had. The
wagon marked in flaming letters, Bad
Debts Collected is still unknown in
our streets, and if any office sends
around letters with Bad Debt stamped
Oh their envelopes, have not heard of
it. Debts are collected in New York
by dunning, if the debtor won't pay
within decent time and has property
within reach. And dunning, as well as
being the oldest, is, after all, the most
effectual METHOD
But suppose the debtor is mot at
home to be dunned?''
Then | wait quietly until he is at
hOme-if the debt is worth waiting for.
Ii | can get the servant as soon as L
call, and before she has notified her
master, to let me in, which, as L look
respectable she can hardly refuse to do,
andI sit down, if not invited to seat,
until she comes with an answer. Then
/ decide to wait until he come in and
am quite Obtuse to any hints as to the
probable latenesS of his return. If he
&
to keep up appearances with the ser
wants that debt is soon settled.
"But if the servant is in with the en-
plOyer then more persistent course
has to be adopted and calls made so fire.
quently as to attract the attention of
folks living in the vicinity. take the
rebuff, which in such a case | am sure
to meet. very quietly and respectfully
and very leisurely, and in way to be
seen by anybody at the windows around.
i select the bill from a handful of
other bills, lood at it, fiddle over it,
and perhaps mark something Oh it, and
slowly and carefully return it to the
bunch. Then, as if unconscious that [
had attracted any attention. | descend
the steps to the street and walk off,
carrying the bunch of bills in my hand.
This, repeated few days in any neigh
borhood, respectable or otherwise, is
commonly enough to bring the debtor to
time, or compel him to move.
Zone trick | have is to pretend to be
deaf. AS matter of fact my hearing
is as good as anybOdy's, but deafness is
all excellent faculty in collector es-
pecially when combined with hearing
acute enough to detect hint of settle
ment. There's a lawyer down town.
good enough pay, but rather slow. and
it is amusing to notice how he acts when
/ happen in his Office. He starts up
from his desk and meets me half way,
and puts his mouth into my ear to tell
me when he will settle, or that he can't
settle just then, or something of that
sort. pretend not to understand just
what he has said, and in loud tone
which deaf people ordinarily use | ask
him to repeat it, which he does with a
great deal Of diSpIISt NV manner is of
course so respectful that he has no &C.
caSiOn for OffenSe.
There are one or more collecting
agencies which menace debtors with
the publication of their names in sheet
or circular for distribution throughout
the country among business men; but
my own opinion is that the method is
not very effective one. l know of one
instance in which a debtor was about to
pay over money to a collector and the
collector unfortunately remarked, as
much in Jest as i'll earnest, I'm glad
you're paying this now. as | was Just
about to send your name to NEIL
tiOning a concern of the kind to which
| have alluded. The money had not yet
passed from the debtors OutStretched
hand. He was quick-tempered sort of
fellow and the remark Stung him. He
drew back the money and pocketed it,
with the remark: oh, indeed, 1 would
just like to see my name in that affair."
The collector went away without his
money, and as the debtor happened to
be Shrewd and experienced lawyer it
was deemed prudent not to herald his
name i'll the manner Indicated.
There are many ways OF collecting
debt, but plain, simple dunning is the
hest -